Episode 1024 (11th November 1970)
Plot With Ken still away, Ray flirts with Val, offering to carry her shopping. Ena celebrates her birthday, counting herself lucky for the amount of cards she's received. Minnie organises a birthday party for her but refuses to invite Albert for the way that he's treated Handel. Lucille won't tell Annie why she doesn't like Mark. Nor will Billy tell his mother if he's seeing Irma. Maggie tells Elsie that Lucille is saying some strange things about Mark. Len returns from a council trip to Holland. He meets Mark and tells him that he and Elsie are great friends. Elsie questions Lucille and is told that Mark asked her point-blank to sleep with him and his language was offensive. Elsie goes to the Rovers where she is short with Mark. He listens in as Len tells her he'll be bringing a present round later. Minnie tells an annoyed Annie that Billy and Irma spent the evening together at her house. Some visiting football fans from Newcastle lead a Geordie sing-song in the Rovers that Alan is delighted to join in with. He goes off to see the match with them but Mark declines to go, saying he's got to meet a friend. Annie pays Ray double-time to finish Billy's room so that he can move back in that day. Lucille warns Billy that Annie knows about him and Irma. Lucille tells Mark that Elsie knows all about him now but he's not at all bothered. Val, Peter, Susan and Handel attend Ena's party. Albert gatecrashes it, having been to the Armistice Day service. Mark sees Len going into No.11. Billy and Irma are amused about Annie's attitude. Mark quietly lets himself into No.11 and listens in from the hallway as Elsie and Len flirt with each other. Cast Regular cast *Valerie Barlow - Anne Reid *Irma Barlow - Sandra Gough *Maggie Clegg - Irene Sutcliffe *Ray Langton - Neville Buswell *Ena Sharples - Violet Carson *Minnie Caldwell - Margot Bryant *Annie Walker - Doris Speed *Betty Turpin - Betty Driver *Lucille Hewitt - Jennifer Moss *Billy Walker - Kenneth Farrington *Elsie Howard - Patricia Phoenix (Credited as "Elsie Tanner") *Alan Howard - Alan Browning *Peter Barlow - Christopher Dormer *Susan Barlow - Wendy Jane Walker *Albert Tatlock - Jack Howarth *Len Fairclough - Peter Adamson Guest cast *Handel Gartside - Harry Markham *Mark Howard - Nicholas Jones *Johnny Lister - James Garbutt Places *Coronation Street *Rovers Return Inn - Public/Snug *5 Coronation Street - Back room and hallway *11 Coronation Street - Back room/kitchen and hallway *Corner Shop - Shop and back room Notes *On Friday 13th November, two days after this episode was transmitted, the ITV Colour Strike began and thus this was the last episode to be transmitted in colour until Episode 1052 (15th February 1971). *The scene on the Grape Street set was OB recorded. *''TV Times'' synopsis: Annie investigates; Len aggrivates; and Ena celebrates. *Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 7,500,000 homes (4th place). Episode 1024